Mercy for Animals Drone Investigation Reveals Wisconsin Cheese Industry’s Dirty Secret

Wisconsin’s picturesque dairy farms have long been associated with idyllic imagery, picturesque landscapes, and an abundance of cheese. However, beneath this charming façade, the state’s cheese industry hides a dirty secret – one that not only affects the welfare of cows but also endangers the environment and the health of residents. Mercy For Animals, an Animal rights organization, recently conducted a drone investigation that reveals the alarming truth about the Wisconsin cheese industry’s reliance on industrial-scale factory farms, their manure storage practices, and their proximity to residential areas.

The drone footage exposes a disturbing reality. More than a dozen dairy farms in Wisconsin store massive quantities of manure in open pits, with some of these pits alarmingly close to residential neighborhoods. The consequences of this industrial farming practice are far-reaching, as residents like Arlin Karnopp have experienced firsthand. In areas heavily concentrated with dairy farms, the safety of drinking water is in peril, with reports of brown water and water tests indicating the presence of nitrates and E. coli. Such contaminated water poses a serious risk to public health, particularly for children and the elderly, who may be more susceptible to waterborne illnesses.

A 2021 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives further emphasizes the gravity of the situation. It revealed that drinking water contaminated by cow feces leads to hundreds of cases of acute gastrointestinal illness annually in Kewaunee County alone. This is an alarming statistic that underscores the urgent need for change.

The transformation of the Wisconsin dairy industry over the past few decades is striking. Once characterized by small, family-owned farms with a few beloved cows, it has now shifted towards massive industrial operations. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the percentage of cows in “mega dairy” facilities, which confine 500 or more cows, surged from 3% to 41% between 1997 and 2017. These large facilities, while making up a small percentage of Wisconsin’s dairy farms, house almost half of the state’s cows. This industrialization has resulted in the development of vast waste lagoons and the alarming proximity of these mega-dairies to residential communities.

The drone pilot, Mark DeVries, who conducted the investigation, explains, “Wisconsin’s dairy industry would like to present itself as a string of modest farms, each with a few beloved cows – but this investigation from Mercy For Animals shatters that illusion.” His drone footage provides a clear view of the expansive industrial calf hutches and the immense waste lagoons typical of Wisconsin’s mega-dairies. These facilities not only contaminate local groundwater but also pose significant health risks to the communities living in their vicinity.

Furthermore, the impact of these mega-dairies is not confined solely to environmental and public health concerns. The cows that produce the milk for the cheese industry face their share of suffering. Selectively bred to produce unnaturally large quantities of milk, these cows are subjected to a largely automated milking process, with machines attached to their udders. This leads to a high rate of mastitis, a painful infection that can result in increased pus levels in the cows’ milk. These dairy cows must give birth to produce milk, and their calves are separated from them shortly after birth, causing both mothers and calves immense distress.

In light of these revelations, the time has come for Wisconsin’s cheese industry to take responsibility for its actions.

Sign this petition to stop the torture of dairy cows!

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